Karita the Dragon Master
by Hannah Forever
Summary: Karita has a pet dragon named Mindy, one of only 2 known existing Night Fury's. When she catches wind of another on the Island of Burke, her and Mindy travel to see another. Filled with untold secrets and magic. Rated T, just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Karita the Dragon Master

News reached me at sunset today that the Vikings on the Island of Burke had trained the dragons that they once killed.

I laughed.

Those idiots! It seriously took them this many years to learn that the dragons weren't their enemies. That's pathetic. Truly and utterly pathetic.

Apparently, according to the fisherman who had given her the news, it had all started with this outcast boy named Hiccup who had trained one of two Night Fury's. He named the dragon Toothless, and the two had changed the course of history for the residents of the Island of Burke.

Hiccup… He had the only other Night Fury than I, and it was inevitable that they would have to meet, since Toothless cannot fly without him.

That's right, you heard me correctly, I have a Night Fury as well. Her name is a little more original than Toothless – her name is Mindy. I found Mindy as an egg, abandoned by her mother I took care of the mysterious egg until it hatched and produced the cutest black Dragon I'd ever laid eyes upon. I named the beautiful dragon Mindy, and raised her, taking care of her. Once she got too big for our little village, we were chased out of town, for the townspeople were afraid Mindy would become like the dragons on Burke and attack them. Since I would not allow them to kill my poor Mindy, they banished me from my home; and I was never allowed to return.

The few times I tried, there were "Wanted" posters up of me. I took one down and saved it for a good laugh every now and then.

There was a horrendous drawing of me, and under that it said – Wanted: Karita the Dragon Master. Dead or Alive.

That was it. The people of my village were lucky to be able to write _that_ much. So I gave up trying to go back and decided that it was time Mindy and I went off on our own. So I hopped on Mindy and we flew to some remote islands in the North. We found one that was uninhibited and decided to make it our home. I built a large cabin big enough to fit both Mindy and I over looking the ocean on one of the sturdiest cliffs. Then, with the help of some fishermen, built a harbor so that sailors passing through could have a safe place to land and rest. In exchange for fish and stories, I provided the men with fire and a roof over their heads, medicine when needed, and knowledge of the rarest dragon on earth.

Over the years a town was created. Mindy and I lived away from the rest of the people, but were always treated like celebrities when we went into town. The town itself was called Slorvig after the man who named himself Chief. People wondered but never dared question me on my seemingly nonchanging appearance.

And, it was true. I never got older. I had heard from a witch who lived in a cave on one of the many islands that Night Fury's had a magical gift granted by the God's. If a Night Fury chose to share their secrets with you, then you would be able to live forever. It was in my seventeenth year that Mindy decided to bless me with her secrets, and from that day on I have remained the same; never changing. Night Fury's as well never grow older once they hit full adulthood, so we were partners for eternity. That is why there are only two Night Fury's on this Earth. A male – Toothless, and a female – Mindy. I do not know if Hiccup has been granted the Gift by his Night Fury, but I am soon going to have to leave my peaceful island and figure it out. The question is – do I really want to leave my haven?

Mindy and I do leave, don't get me wrong. We fly all over, visiting each of the seven islands that are around this one. I just haven't traveled long distances in almost three decades – going to Burke would be a very long trip. Almost as long as the one that brought Mindy and myself to the Island of Slorvig.

I looked over at Mindy across the fire. Her eyes were big and she was looking at me in that intelligent way of hers that let me know she knew what I was thinking. She pranced over and nudged me with her head, then hopped, skidded, and flew a bit before running over to me again, letting me know that there was nothing to worry about and that she was more than ready to leave the island.

"I don't know Mindy, it'll be a long journey… It'll take at least three days of flying…" I said, feeling nervous about meeting new people and how they will react to me. Ever since Mindy showed me her Secrets, I had changed. Not just with my morality, but my outlook on life. My hair had grown much longer and darkened to the darkest of blacks that had purple highlights in the sun, it very closely resembled Mindy's skin. My skin grew flawless and paler, my eyes changed from the color of the ocean to the exact color of Mindy's, and I'd grown five inches taller.

The rumors in the village were vast. Some thought I was a witch, others thought I was a troll in disguise, while others believed I was an Elf from the Motherland. All were untrue – I was a human bearing the secrets of the Night Fury. I knew when the Earth began, I knew every creature that walked it, I knew the secrets of the sea and the sky, of the Heavens. Any question that was asked about the World, I could answer. The only thing I did not know, were the questions asked about Humanity and Humans. Humans were fairly new to this world, and something the Ancient Night Fury's knew not of. Anything new that has happened in the past 100 years I also do not know, for the Secrets Mindy carries are from the Ancient Night Fury's of long ago, when the Earth was first made.

Sometimes it grew boring, knowing everything in the world. But Mindy keeps my life a constant adventure with her curiosity and unpredictableness. Night Fury's are notorious knowledge seekers. They want to know everything about everything. It's adorable, really, the way Mindy's eyes will light up whenever she watches humans.

"So you really want to do this girl?" I asked, cocking my head to the side at the beautiful black dragon.

The dragon nodded her head accordingly and pounced on me, making me fall to the ground.

"Okay, okay! We'll go then, first thing tomorrow." I said, smiling at her. She nudged me and I wrapped my arms around her. She was my very best friend.

I put out the fire and we walked into our cabin. I kicked my boots off and crawled into bed while Mindy curled up on her nest of blankets.

Tomorrow would be the start of a whole new adventure. I was both excited – and terrified.

Hey all, this is HannahForever with a new fanfiction. I know the first chapter was sort of confusing – so I'll summarize it for you.

_Karita is the girl, Mindy the Night Fury. ^_^ Once Upon a Time, at the beginning of the world, Night Fury's roamed free and plentiful. As the world changed, the Night Fury's gained knowledge of it, learning everything there was to learn about the World. When the Human Species was first introduced, they were frightened of the black demons, and began to kill them off. Sine Night Fury's are generally loving and trusting creatures, unwilling to harm, they did not defend themselves until they realized that hope was almost lost. By the end of the slaughter, there were 8 Night Fury's left – Toothless and Mindy being 2 of them. The other 6 are currently unaccounted for, they all left to different parts of the world to try and find a safe haven from the humans. _

_So, with this little tid bit of information given, I'll clear some stuff up. Night Fury's aren't immortal. Which means neither is Karita. While her immune system was boosted with the knowledge granted by Mindy, she can still get sick, although she is less affected by diseases than the average human. So, the Black Plague to Karita would just be a bad case of throwing up and bed ridden for a month or so. Colds/flus are like allergies, etc. If she fell off a cliff, she could still die. She can still break bones, drown, and be affected by every other deathly situation. So, yes, she can die. No she's not some weird vampire or dragon-hybrid/half human half dragon thing. She's a human. And she does gradually get older, but 100 years looks more like 1 year of growing for a normal person._

_Um… I think that's all for now…_

_If you have questions or comments, feel free to voice your opinions! Reviews are love people!_

_3_

_xoxo HannahForever_


	2. Chapter 2

Travels to the Island of Burke

The next morning, I awoke. I sat up and stretched my arms, yawning. Karita was already up and about, exploring in the woods or on the beach. Like I said, she's a very curious being.

I got up, put my boots on, and left my cabin. The sky was clear, surprising for this time of year. The cold would soon be upon us, and I wanted to be to Burke by the time it hit. No way were Mindy and I going to be flying in the snow.

"Mindy!" I called, throwing a pack over my shoulder and closing my cabin door for who knew how long. Mindy flew up from the cliff side and came up to me, nuzzling me gently and dropping a fish in my hand. That was another cute thing that Mindy, and possibly other Night Fury's did – she always shared her food with me. I'd long ago gotten used to eating raw fish. And living this high up on the Earth, it was too cold for bugs and parasites to live.

Mindy knew it was time to go, and was more than excited to get going. I knew she hated staying in one place for so long, and, honestly, I did too. I was actually kind of excited to be going on an adventure…

I mounted Mindy and settled into her familiar back. I tilted my head back and took a deep breath.

"Are you ready to go girl?" I asked, bending down and patting her head right below her ears. She answered by shooting 50 feet in the sky at speeds so fast my hair flew back, making me grip her neck for dear life.

"Slow…down!" I cried, tears leaking from my eyes from the speed. She responded, changing to a slower glide. Ah, flying. I never felt more at peace than I did when I was flying with Mindy.

It was a beautiful day as we flew across the sea to the Isle of Burke. My stomach was in nervous knots the whole time. Besides being forced from my home so many years ago, I'd truly left my Isles, always staying up in the cabin on the cliff. It was my safe place, my Haven. I wouldn't admit to anyone but Mindy, but I was actually kind of scared, leaving home like this. So many questions ran through my mind: Will they like me? Will I be welcomed into the village? Will they believe me? What will Hiccup be like? And Toothless? Will he and Mindy get along? And, most of all, will I be accepted by Toothless and Hiccup and allowed to teach him the ways of his legendary dragon?

I was scared of the unknown, but I had a duty to the few remaining Night Fury's to teach this young man the ways of the Night Fury, and no matter my discomfort, I will do it.

It had been dark for a while now when Mindy and I finally landed on a rocky outcrop to camp for the night. I started a fire and cooked a fish while letting Mindy eat from the bag. She did love her fish, it was funny really. Once we were both done eating, Mindy curled up and I put the fire out and laid down, falling asleep under a full sky of stars.

The next morning we woke up at dawn and headed out again. The further we went, the prettier the sights were. Burke was South of Slorvig, so it wasn't as cold here, and the trees and birds were all different. It was truly a beautiful place. I'd never gone this south before, I'd only ever been up North to the icy tundra's. I'm not sure why I'd never thought to travel South. Maybe after this little adventure in Burke we could go to the Tropics…

I allowed my mind to wander endlessly as Mindy continued on our course to Burke.

By the time the moon was at its peak, we entered the first of the islands that marked Burke. We were ahead of schedule, and I decided to take Mindy to the forest right outside the village to camp for the night. We found a secluded valley surrounded by walls with a small pond in the middle and made camp there. I dug in my bag and threw her a fish and she shot a ball of fire at it and cooked it to perfection for me. I smiled and dug another fish out and gave it to her, and she swallowed it happily. I laid down and closed my eyes, sleep quickly finding me.

Mindy woke me up the moment the sun entered the sky.

"I'm up, I'm up!" I squealed as she pawed and nuzzled me, making me stand. I knew Mindy was excited to meet Toothless and Hiccup, possibly more than I was. She'd never seen another Night Fury before, she had every right to be excited.

I got up and stretched, undressed and hopped in the pond to bathe and clean myself off. I'd just resurfaced from the water when a shadow fell over the pond, making me look up. It was a dragon, species unknown as the sun was blocking my vision. It was getting lower, which was when I saw a person atop the dragon's back.

"Hello!" A male's voice reached me, as he and his dragon circled to land in the valley. I jumped out of the water and quickly tried to get dressed. I was still missing my boots and shirt when they landed, and I quickly ducked behind a rock as Mindy came to my rescue and kept me shielded as I put my shirt over my head and my boots on my feet.

"Another Night Fury?" The voice said, amazement in his voice. Mindy was on guard, she always was when new people came around me. She was extremely protective, thanks to the bond of sharing her Gift with me and our own personal bond from raising her from an egg.

"Yeah, her name is Mindy, and if you back off a little and let me come to you she may not attack you." I said, appearing from behind my beautiful Night Fury's wings.

"I thought I'd seen someone from the sky." The boy said. He was a teenager, about my age, with brownish red hair. He was lanky, missing a leg from the knee down. And he had a Night Fury behind him.

"You must be Hiccup." I said, crossing the space between us and walking right up to him, staring into his eyes. His dragon, Toothless, hadn't given him his Gift yet, his eyes were still brown. It was then that I took my attention away from the average boy in front of me and focused on his Dragon.

Toothless was a beautiful Night Fury. He looked much like Mindy, but she definitely had a more female type figure. I pushed past Hiccup, ignoring him and his protests. He tried to stop me but I grabbed his hand and forced him to the ground. I caught Toothless' eyes and he stopped his protests and let me approach him. I stared into his eyes and put a hand on his muzzle and we both closed our eyes and he opened his mind to me. He wanted me to spare Hiccup, they had a special bond just as Mindy and I. I assured him Mindy and I were not of harm to him or anyone in the village, and that we had heard of them and wanted to introduce ourselves, get to know them, maybe even become friends…

Finally, we separated, and the outside world came back to me. That's when I noticed Hiccup again.

"Sorry, when I talk to the dragons I get kind of… sucked in." I apologized, facing the confused teen.

"What are you talking about?" He asked exasperated. I was acting rather odd, any person would be confused by this.

"My name is Karita, and that's Mindy, my Night Fury. We heard that another had been discovered and about the small Isle of Burke that had trained dragons. And of you, Hiccup." I walked over to him and extended my hand to shake his. I had high respect for this young man, it was an honor to meet him. He took it, staring me in the eyes.

"You have the same color eyes as Toothless." He said, amazed.

"There are many secrets I have to share with you." I replied, smiling. I broke my eyes from his and looked over at Mindy and Toothless, who were playing together already. I was surprised she took to him so fast, she hasn't ever liked other dragons.

I turned back to Hiccup to see he was still staring at me. "What?" I asked, putting a hand on my hip. Even if I were technically 47 years old, I still acted like my 17 year old self.

"I've just… I've never seen anyone like you." He said, unashamedly staring me up and down.

"You wouldn't _believe_ what I looked like 30 years ago." I replied, the age issue forgotten years ago.

"30 years? But, you only look like a teenager." Hiccup said, his eyes widening.

"Like I said, I have lots to tell you." I replied.

"So, what did you use to look like?" He asked, putting his behind his head, turning away, and sort of blushing.

"I use to have bright red, curly hair, freckles covering my entire body, and ocean blue eyes. My family and me were the first to arrive at our village from the Motherland, Scotland. I was just barely over five feet tall, 5'1, 5'2 maybe? I forget, it was awhile ago." I said, babbling.

"And now you look like," and he motioned to all of me.

"Yeah… Like I said, secrets and such." I said, trailing off awkwardly. I turned and watched Mindy and Toothless interacted. I could tell by Mindy's body language that they were communicating, just as Hiccup and I were.

"Well, I guess we should go to the village and introduce you two to everybody." Hiccup said. I nodded and he ran to his dragon, hopping on his back and settling himself into a saddle. He'd actually put a saddle on his dragon. I wasn't sure how I felt about that…

I went to Mindy and she knelt down so I could sit on her back and Toothless and Hiccup took off as Mindy and I followed. My stomach was in knots, I felt like I was going to throw up. I was so nervous… Mindy looked back at me and smacked me in the head with her ear, making me smile and assuring me there was nothing to be nervous or scared about, she was there to protect me. I smiled and buried my head in her neck, hugging my dragon and appreciating her. She knew me inside and out it seemed, and she understood me. I was beyond lucky to have a best friend like her.

A/N: Okay, so I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm falling more in love with Karita and Mindy the more I write and understand their characters. 3 I hope you love them as much as I do!

_Will there be a romance between Karita and Hiccup? What's Astrid going to think of her? Will there be drama? WILL THE VILLAGE ACCEPT HER! Whelp, you gotta stay tuned for the next chapter! ^_^ Reviews are love people! _

_Xoxox I love chu!_


	3. Chapter 3

Meeting the Village

Hiccup wasted no time and took me straight to the middle of the Village. I heard a few exclamations as the two Night Fury's landed and it looked like the entire village came running out to see the strange tall girl with eyes like a dragons and hair darker than night. Hiccup introduced Mindy and me, saying we came from the island of Slorvig to get to know Toothless and him. The Chief, also Hiccup's father, greeted me with a firm handshake and a suspicious gaze. Next I met a pretty blond girl, Astrid, who was connected to Hiccup's side like she was glued there. She must be his girlfriend, threatened by my presence. I met a few other teenagers, a pair of twins, a fat guy, an annoying guy who was way too full of himself, and a really cute guy with black hair and blue-green eyes. He was Hiccup's cousin, lean with lithe muscles and hair that fell in his eyes. Cutest guy I'd ever seen.

"Hi, I'm Karita." I said, smiling at him. Yes, I was flirting, sue me, I'm still a girl.

"Hi Karita, I'm Kanook, it's nice to meet you." He replied, shaking my hand. Was it just me, or was he flirting back?

"Karita, let me show you around the village!" Hiccup said, wanting to show me his and Toothless' home and get to know Mindy and me better.

"Sure thing Hiccup! Would you like to come?" I asked Kanook, smiling and pushing my hair out of my eyes. The only thing I sort of regretted about receiving Mindy's gift was that I looked rather intimidating. There's a reason I haven't had a boyfriend all these years, any guy I tried to talk to got scared and ran off.

"Sure, I don't have anywhere else I need to be." He answered, returning my smile.

"I'll come too!" Astrid chimed in, taking Hiccup's hand possessively. Good gracious this girl was jealous, Hiccup seemed totally oblivious to this.

Ah, this should be interesting.

So, the 3 teens and I went around the village on a very confusing tour. Astrid wouldn't let me within five feet of Hiccup, yet Hiccup was obsessed with getting as close as possible, observing my unnatural black and purple hair, my eyes, even the color of my skin. He was fascinated, as was Kanook. Astrid didn't like all the attention Hiccup was giving me, and got fed up with it after a couple hours.

"I'm going to go fly with Stormfly Hiccup, I'll catch you later." She said, running off to get her dragon.

"Okay, bye Astrid!" Hiccup said, waving goodbye to his girlfriend.

"See yeah Astrid." Kanook said.

"Later." I said, waving. I was really missing Mindy, now that I thought of it. I haven't flown with her since the early morning hours, and I really missed her.

"Hey, I think I'm going to take Mindy out for a ride." I told Hiccup, starting to back away from the two boys.

"I'll come with you, show you around the island and stuff. Show you what Toothless can do." Hiccup said, catching up to me.

"Uh, sure, that sounds alright I guess. I am intrigued to see you and Toothless fly up close…" I said, trailing off. I wasn't used to constant company, I kind of felt suffocated. But what could I do? I had to make Hiccup like me, so Mindy and Toothless could become closer. She really needed a friend… And, well, I could use a friend too.

"Are you coming Kanook?" I called behind me. I felt a certain pull towards this boy. He was the only one in the village who stood out to me, even Hiccup was pretty ordinary.

"Um, no… I have something I got to do…" And with that he ran off in the opposite direction.

"What's his deal?" I asked Hiccup as we walked through the village back to the cliff side where we'd left Toothless and Mindy.

"I'm not sure. Ever since the dragons moved into Burke and started working with the villagers, he's been acting different, withdrawn from everyone. Both his parents died in the fight against Gigantor, the giant dragon that ran the hive on Dragon Island. He hasn't been the same since…" Hiccup explained, looking sad. The poor kid, I knew how it felt to lose your parents. Both mine had disappeared on a fishing trip in the middle of winter. The people in the village sent out a search party, but only found a few remains of their boat. I was only seven…

"Poor kid." I replied, looking down. It was always tough for a kid to lose their parents.

"Yeah, he's been scared of dragons since he was six when one burnt his home down, but now he's terrified. It's gotta be hard now that dragons are common pets here in the village." Hiccup replied. It didn't really seem fair to me, but Vikings aren't exactly about fairness. You're supposed to be tough and unmovable. Nothing should shake you, especially if you're a man.

"Well, maybe we can fix that." I replied. We'd reached our dragons then, and they both looked over and ran to us, Toothless knocking Hiccup over and Mindy rubbing her head against my chest. "Good girl, I missed you too. Wanna go for a fly?" I asked, making her put her rear in the air and look up at me with eyes full of excitement. "I thought you would." I said, smiling and scratching her head before jumping on her back and taking her up in the air. Toothless caught up with us shortly there after, and Hiccup and I flew side by side.

"You don't have a saddle on Mindy?" Hiccup asked, cocking his head to the side a little.

"No, Mindy and I have a feel for each other, a saddle isn't really necessary." I replied, smiling a wicked smile as I leaned my body to the left and Mindy barrel rolled, missing Toothless by mere inches and falling back to where she was before.

"Hey!" Hiccup called, smiling and righting Toothless. "If it's gonna be like that, then I say we race." He said, not waiting for a reply when he made Toothless take off.

"You're on!" I called after him, urging Mindy forward. She was faster than Toothless, and quickly caught up, then passed him. Our path took us through a maze of rocks and cliffs, and we had to maneuver our way through it and out to the other end. Out of nowhere a Nadder appeared and hit Mindy and me, sending me flying towards the rocky outcrop below. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind. I'd only fallen off Mindy twice before, and that was when we first learned to fly together.

Right before I hit the rocks below, someone grabbed me and pulled me onto a solid surface. It was Hiccup, he'd grabbed my arm in midair and brought me down on Toothless's back, saving my life.

"Oh my gods, thank you Hiccup!" I said, hugging his waist as he flew to the nearest form of dry land and landed Toothless.

"What happened?" Hiccup asked, jumping off Toothless and helping me down.

"I don't know. We had just gotten out of the rocks when a Nadder ran right into Mindy and I. Mindy got knocked away and I lost my grip on her." I said, running to the waters edge and looking around, trying to find her.

"Mindy!" I called, sending a silent shout in my head. A few moments later Mindy flew down, landing beside me and examining me, looking deep in my eyes and seeing if I was safe. "Yes, I'm fine, are you?" I asked, staring into her eyes and seeing that she was startled, but not injured. "I'm glad you're okay." I said, hugging her muzzle and kissing her between the eyes.

"Thank you Hiccup, Toothless, for saving me. I owe you." I said, stepping over to Hiccup and giving him a hug, then going to Toothless and petting him on the nose. He did a little smile and nudged me in response, and I smiled.

"It's fine, Karita. Why don't we go back to the village? You can ride with me and Mindy can follow. I'll make something for you so you have something to hold onto while you ride her tonight, alright?" Hiccup said, walking over to me and putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Sure, I guess that's okay…" I said, walking over to Mindy and placing my hand between her eyes. I closed eyes that looked exactly like my magnificent dragon, and told her what was going on, and asked if she was all right with wearing something to keep me on her. She understood and was fine with it for the time being, but wanted to make sure it wasn't permanent. I assured her I wasn't going to make this a permanent thing if she didn't like it after trying it for a day.

Hiccup mounted Toothless and offered his hand to me. I took it and he helped me up and I settled into the saddle behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and holding on tight as Toothless took off. I'd never ridden with another person before, and it was odd and kind of scary, especially since Hiccup was the one directing the dragon.

As we soared through the sky, I held onto Hiccup tighter, burying my face in his shoulder. I wouldn't ever admit how shaken up that fall made me. I was obviously attacked, I just wish I knew who wanted me gone so badly. Was coming to Burke a mistake?

A/N: Well, there you go, there's Chapter 3! I hope you liked it! Who do you think attacked Karita and Mindy? (Hopefully it's not toooooo obvious.) Is Astrid's jealousy going too far? Does she really have anything to be jealous about? Do you think there's anything romantic between Karita and Hiccup?

_READ MORE TO FIND OUT THE ANSWERS! (Or to see if I even ANSWER any of the questions. ^_^)_

_Reviews are love people, so review for me? 3 I love you all, you're the best "fans" I could imagine!_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Hello everyone! I am sooooooo sorry I haven't updated in so long. My computer crashed and I just recently got a new one and because of work and starting college... I've been extremely distracted. BUT! I'm back and writing now, and will make sure I update about 2 weeks at a time. I'm shooting for one, but 2 for now. ^_^ Thanks for sticking with me all, I appreciate all of the supporters, reviewers, followers, and fans! 3 You all make me so happy.__  
><em>_Anyways, enjoy! _

_Also, I apologize for the ridiculously long chapter._

Fire

After my fall off Mindy I was left shaken and unsure of myself. It'd been at least a decade since I'd fallen off her, and we had been so high… I wanted to know why another dragon would attack her, attack us. It didn't seem like a normal thing for a dragon to do. They were generally peaceful animals. It just didn't make sense.

I shook it off, it's best to just not think about this right now, I had a Village Feast to attend. They were throwing one for the Girl with the Dragon Eyes.

Hiccup landed and Mindy was right behind us. I quickly jumped off Toothless before anyone could see us riding together, and Hiccup followed.

"Hey, Hiccup, could you not mention the attack to anyone please?" I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder and making him turn around to look at me. He had to look up, I was taller than him.

"Sure Karita. I'll get to work on the saddle for Mindy after the feast too." Hiccup said, trying to make me feel better. He could tell I was shaken up.

"No saddle. I agreed to let you try and make something to help me hold on to her, but I've been doing this so long it really isn't necessary… I'll try something, but a saddle is too demeaning. I won't do that to her." I said, standing up taller. The more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I was with it.

"I'll figure something out." He said, smiling up at me. He was a cutie, and I can easily see us becoming close friends. I really want to talk to Toothless though, without Hiccup around. I want to know if he's planning on sharing his gift with Hiccup.

"Well, let's go to the feast and get this over with." I said, sighing dramatically and pushing myself forward. I was mentally and physically exhausted, and really didn't want to do this right now. I hate going to new places because everyone, and I mean everyone, gawks unashamedly. The stares, the whispers, the questions, the judgements… They all drive me insane.

I was dreading the feast until my eyes found Kanook. I couldn't help the smile that fell across my face. I think I liked him. This could potentially be dangerous for me, but at the moment I wasn't too worried about it. I shook off my thoughts and walked over to where he sat. I was half way across the room when he looked up and smiled at me, nodding to the place beside him before looking away. Did I just see his cheeks turn a bit pink? I believe I did…

I sat next to him and waited as they handed out the dinner and everyone began sharing stories of the days before Dragons were welcome in the Village. I heard of the horrors everyone went through at the Dragons expense, and of Hiccup's courageous tale of finding Toothless and fighting the world to save his best friend, and eventually freeing the Dragons from the tyranny of the Giant Dragon. Kanook sitting next to me seemed very tense during Hiccup's tale.

Once Hiccup was done, everyone turned to me, wanting to hear my tale. This is exactly what I was worried about. I don't know what is appropriate to tell them, what would freak them out… The last thing I need is to be chased out of town the way I was in my own village. Especially since I'm finally, for the first time in 37 years, making friends again…

I stood up, clearing my throat. I'm naturally shy, so public speaking isn't exactly my strong suit…

"Long ago Night Fury's roamed the Earth, free and plentiful…" And with that I launched into a subject I felt comfortable discussing, Night Fury's. Hiccup was completely attentive, jotting down notes like crazy. I did not mention the Night Fury Gift, though. If people knew of what they were capable of, the hunt for the Night Fury's would begin. Humans will always seek immorality, no matter who they are or where they come from. It's best to keep that between the few people who truly know Night Fury's and understand them…

After the story we ate and everyone talked about normal day-to-day topics. After the feast everyone was dismissed and sent to their homes to get sleep. The kids had Dragon Training in the morning, the adults repairing the village and going hunting. I was staying out in the forest, I refused Hiccup's invitation to stay at his home while I was in the village, but I still wasn't comfortable with humans, and trusted nobody. I ran off into the woods to where Mindy and I had made camp for the night.

After the bonfire and feast with the village we all departed for the night. Kanook had left through the middle of my tale, and when I walked by his house it was completely dark. He probably got tired and just turned in early, I told myself. But he had left looking very upset, and I knew this wasn't the case.

I sighed, frustrated with myself for caring. I was the Dragon Master, I didn't care about humans, especially of the male variety. Yet I found myself looking back at his house over my shoulder, not worried per-say, but intrigued as to why he left so upset. I shook my head and ran off into the woods to where Mindy and I were camping for the night. Just because I'd spent some time with the villagers didn't mean I trusted them enough to sleep anywhere they could find me.

Mindy bounded up to me, putting her head under my chin and nuzzling me, making happy purring type noises.

"Mindy, you act so much like a cat it's ridiculous." I joked, hugging her. She was a real sweet heart, I had to admit. And the most beautiful dragon I'd ever laid eyes on. She sat back and her eyes lit up, letting me know she'd heard what I had thought and approved.

"Don't be a narcissist Mindy." I chided, pushing her head away and running off towards our camp. She quickly caught up to me and bowed her head and pushed my legs out from under me, making me fall back and land on her back. I held on tight as she took off into the night sky, the thought of sleep forgotten. We were both night owls, preferring to sleep at night anyways. Going to bed early wasn't exactly normal for us.

We quickly climbed over the tree tops and ascended into the night, dancing with the stars that lit up the sky under the almost full moon. The Island of Burke was a truly beautiful place, located in the ideal location for vikings.  
>As we were flying over the forest, I noticed a soft glow coming from a ways away from the Village. As we got closer, I realized it was a fire, heading straight towards the village.<br>"Oh no..." I whispered, watching it burn down tree after tree, rapidly approaching the village. "Come on girl, lets wet down the trees so the fire won't spread any more!" I said, making Mindy turn back towards the ocean. I grabbed two buckets and filled them with water, while Mindy dunked her head in, filling her mouth full with the salty water. I jumped on her back and we flew back to where the fire was. I pinpointed where it would go and doused the trees in the way so they wouldn't burn. We did this for thirty minutes before we went to put out the actual fire. I decided to extinguish the fire where it began, and, with a bucket of water in each hand, I dropped down into the inferno, instructing Mindy to fly off to the ocean to continue dousing the fire in other areas. There was a stream running through the middle of the fire, and I used that to replenish my buckets of water.  
>After a few more minutes of battling the fire I heard a cry. It was very faint, but I could hear it traveling in the wind from the west. I turned and ran towards the sound, searching desperately for the creature that cried out. What I found took the breath right out of my lungs.<br>Kanook laid under a tree, his clothes burned, his body covered in soot except for the bright red patches of freshly burned skin. The smell of burning flesh and hair was over powering, and the assault on my senses made me gag.  
>I had to get him out of here and try to save him. I knew I could if he could just stay alive long enough to get to a clean body of water and some fresh air not tainted by the still burning fire.<br>I knelt to his side, assessing the damage up close. "Kanook, it's Karita, I'm going to get you out of here and heal you, but I have to get you out of here. I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt." I said as I put my arms under and around his side, lifting him into my arms.  
>"Mindy!" I called, my dragon descending from the skies and reading my face to understand what was going on. She laid all the way down and lifted me with her paw onto her back before she took off into the skies, heading to where we needed to go to save the boy in my arms.<br>He cried out, his pain had to be unbearable. I placed my hand lightly on the crown of his head, closed my eyes, and let my powers free of the walls I keep them in, a layout of his body filling the blackness of my closed lids. The spots that were critical showed up bright white, while the more minor things displayed as an icy blue. None of his vital organs, arteries, or bones had been impacted, which meant it was just the simple matter of restoring his damaged tissue and closing up the wounds.  
>Mindy looked back at me, cocking her head slightly to the side and giving me a knowing look.<br>"Yes, I know the risk, but I have to..." I said, patting her head before I took a deep breath and began to center myself. This was going to take a lot of power, and I had to focus to be sure everything went as smoothly as possible.  
>"Don't worry Kanook, I'm going to help you." I whispered to the boy in my arms. His life force was slowly slipping, his light continuing to dim as we flew. "Hold on just a little longer." I said, willing him to fight.<br>Mindy landed outside of a cave on the cliffs, over looking the ocean. The view reminded me very much of home, and I was hit with a bout of homesickness. I shook my head, needing to focus solely on the task ahead of me.  
>I brought Kanook into the cave, ways away from the light of the night. I came across a natural spring running through the cave, that illuminated glacial blue when I came near it. This provided light for the healing process and made the air in the cave very calming and relaxing. Kanook's whimpering stopped.<br>Mindy settled herself against the cave wall, circling a few times before laying down in a little ball. Well, little for a dragon.  
>I laid Kanook on the bank of the spring, taking his left hand and putting it gently in the water. I sat down then, putting his head in my lap and closing my eyes. Once more his layout fell in the darkness of my closed eyes. His light was much dimmer, and I hoped he could hang on long enough for me to do this.<br>I breathed in, centering myself. When I breathed out, I sent my powers out with it, following the lines of his body to the injured parts, and slowly, meticulously, put them back together. I started with the main burn, it was a fourth degree, the tissue and flesh killed by the fire. I breathed in, and out once more, mending his broken tissue back into life.  
>In the back of my mind, I could see what Mindy was seeing. I sat tall and lean, a broken boy in my arms with strange, glowing water enveloping his body. In the back of my mind, I could also feel the pain. The searing, agonizing pain.<br>I don't know how long I sat there, bringing life back into the burnt tissue of the boy in my arms. It was slow going, his body was badly burned. But, eventually, I healed every burn on his body, every wound that he had. To the unknowing eye, it looked like nothing had happened to him, save for a lone scar on his right shoulder, the burn that would have ended his life.  
>Finally, I opened my eyes, the water receding back into the spring but not losing it's unearthly glow. My powers, exhausted from the work that a mere human is not meant to handle, retreated back to the walls in my mind I always kept them in. My eyes returned back to normal, losing their glow, the world growing less magical and more dull. Mindy looked up, relief in her eyes as a silent wave of love filled me. I closed my eyes and smiled at her, sending the feeling right back.<br>I gently moved Kanook's head onto the cool ground, looking him over and feeling satisfied that I had healed him correctly. I stood up to move next to Mindy, my vision blurring, head spinning. The last thing I remember was the surreal glow of the water before everything went black.


End file.
